Blazers Rebound, Still Room On The Bandwagon

In case you missed (I did), the Blazers, Wetland's adopted NBA squad this playoff season, recovered from their woeful, vomit-inducing opening game, to win game two last night in Portland.

Unfortunately, nobody outside of Portland saw homeboy Brandon Roy, who could arguably end up being the greatest Seattle basketball product ever, shred the Rockets for 42 because the game wasn't on TNT, only NBA TV. Lame.

You would also have missed the perhaps the final game in the ridiculously long career of one of the most hated Seattle villains of all time, Mount Dikembe Mutombo. (I still have nightmares where I see his ugly angular face crying and writhing in ecstasy on the floor of the Seattle Coliseum after the Nuggets became the first eight seed to knock off a number one. No Seattle fan will ever forget where they were on that day. I'll admit it. I cried.) Anyway, Mutumbo went down with a severe knee injury, this time writhing in agony in Portland. After the game the African Cookie Monster said, "For me, basketball is over for."

[Cue angels singing beautiful music. See tears of joy flowing from Seattle hoop fans' eyes worldwide.]

Seriously though, I hate to see any athlete in any sport go down with a serious injury. But there are two exceptions: 1) Said injury leads to a narrow fantasy football victory that should have been a loss, and 2) It's Dikembe going down with that injury.

The guy's 63 years old and entered the league when shorts were still designed to show off a dude's package.

Luckily, I'm here to point these things out to Seattle fans. You're welcome.

Apparently, from what I've read, the Blazers played much more physical after getting absolutely punked like nerds in a game of schoolyard dodgeball in Saturday's match. LaMarcus Aldridge played like the All-star he thinks he is. And they hit almost half of their treys. This is the recipe for success for Blazers.

Here's some fantastic behind-the-scenes coverage of the locker room before game 2 from Oregonian writer Jason Quick. Great stuff. Makes me appreciate PG Steve Blake, the most intense Blazer by far, that much more.

Here's the Sportscenter highlight, which begins with Mutombo going down and then being carried off the floor by the entire Rockets team and staff. Must see TV. (And also a highlight of Oden actually making a nice put-back dunk.

Finally, here's a video breakdown of B-Roy's nasty 42-point masterpiece from NBA.com. 

While the game wasn't on elsewhere, it set a ratings record in Portland. They are starving for a playoff win there. I want to get in on that. And you should too. This team is not only talented, they've proven to be resilient. Now, it's time for us Seattle sports fans to resurrect our love for the NBA through these Blazers. 

Now, if they could just put the game on TV we can watch.